Safety device



Aug. 8, 1944.l

J. H. BROWN SAFETY DEVICE' med Mafch 25, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 wwwa Ho:um I J. H. BROWN SAFETY DEVICE Filed March 23, 1945 3 Sheets-Shed'l 2Patented Aug. 8, 1944 UNITED STATESTATENT OFFICE SAFETY; DEVICE John H.Brown, Wakefield, Mich.

Application Marclr 23, 1943, Serial No. 480,238 5 claims'.l (5cl.212-70) 'Ihis invention relates to a safety device and has relation moreparticularly to a device of this kind for use in connection with arevolving portable crane or hoist, and it is primarily an object of theinvention to provide a device of this kind which will push or forceclear of the machine any person Who may be in danger of being caughtbetween revolving and stationary parts of the machine. y

It is also an object of the invention to provide a safety structurearranged at the opposite sides of the supporting body for a revolvingcrane or hoist and wherein gate members are provided at opposite sidesof said body and which are automatically moved out into protectingposition upon swinging of the crane or hoist to one side or the other ofthe body.

The invention also has for an object to pro vide a safety device for usein connection with a swinging crane or hoist and wherein such device isautomatically moved into e'ective or ineiiective position by therevolving or turning of the crane or hoist.

.The invention consists in the details of construction and in thecombination and arrange- 5 ment of the several parts of my improvedsafety device whereby certain important advantages are attained, as willbe hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order that my invention may be better understood, I will now proceedt describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings,wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in top plan and of a somewhat diagrammatic character1 illustrating a safety device constructed in accordance with anembodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the structure as illustrated inFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in plan of the trackway as herein comprised,unapplied.

Figure 4 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line4-4 of Figure 2 and on an enlarged scale.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken substantially onthe line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line6 6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of one ofthe gates or guards as herein embodied, and

Figure 8 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line8--8 of Figure 1.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, B denotes a portable body ofthe type used in connection with a locomotive crane or the like. As' theparticular construction of this body B forms no part of this invention,a detailed description thereof is believed to be unnecessary.

Mounted upon `this body B in a well known manner for swinging or turningmovement into eifective or working positionA beyond either side of thebody B is a crane or hoisting structure H.

Substantially surrounding the base portion of the crane or hoist H andunderlying the same is a continuous trackway T rigidly held to the baseof the crane or hoist H by the bracket arms I or otherwise as may bepreferred. As is particularly illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings,

it is to be noted that this trackway T is in simulation somewhat of anellipse, the conguration of the trackway, however, being such as toassure the desired swinging movement of the gates or guards G as thecrane or hoist I-I is turned.

Each of these gates or guards G is of desired length and comprises upperand lower elongated bars 2 having interposed therebetween the braces orstrengthening members 3. At one end of each gate or guard G, the members2 are connected by the vertically disposed tubular post or cross member4 which is pivotally engaged with and between the vertically spaced andoutstanding brackets 5 carried by the body B at a desired point thereonwith respect to the crane or hoist H. 'Ihe opposite end of the gate orguard G is provided with an upstanding post 6 carried by a grooved wheelor pulley 'I which rides along the trackway T.

In the ,present embodiment of my invention there are two guards or gatesG at each side of the body B and with the guards or gates G at each sidehaving their hinged ends remote from each other and substantiallyequidistantly spaced from the transverse center of the crane or hoist Hwhen said crane or hoist H is substantially at right angles to the bodyB, as illustrated in Figure 1. Each of these guards or gates G is alsoof a length desired to assure a maximum of safety.

Each of the guards or gates G in relatively close proximity to itshinged or pivoted end is provided with an additional post 8 interposedbetween and rigidly secured to the members 2. This post 8, asillustrated in Figure 1, is surrounded by a sleeve 9 provided at itscentral portion with an inwardly directed bracket or lug I0. Suitablysecured to this bracket or lug I0 is an end portion of a exible memberIl, herein disclosed as a chain. This chain Il extends transversely ofand below the body B and has its inner end portion secured, as at I2, tothe intermediate or base portion of an elongated and relatively narrowU-bolt I4. The free extremities of the arms I of the U-bolt I4 aredirected through a plate I6 and threading on said `extremties of thearms I5 outwardly of the plate I6 are the heads or nuts I1 contactingwith the outer face of the plate I6.

The gates or guards G, fore and aft of the crane or hoist H, have theirpivotal mountings substantially in alignment transversely of the body Band the U-lbolt I4 with which one chain II is connected is reversed withrespect to the second U-bolt I4 and with the major free portions o thearms I5 of one U-bolt I4 substantially in parallelism with the arms I5of the second U-bolt I4. The arms I5 of one U-bolt I4, as hereindisclosed, are substantially at a quarter turn with respect to the armsI5 of the second U-bolt I4. l

Surrounding the substantially parallel portions of the arms I5 Aof theU-bolts I4 is an expansible coiled spring I3 of requisite tension andwhich has its opposite extremities contacting the inner or opposed facesof the plates I6, whereby constant vpull is urged upon the flexiblemembers or chains II to effect-desired inward swinging movement of thegates or guards G, thus maintaining the grooved wheels or pulleys 'I indesired eiective contact from without with the track- Way T.

When the crane or hoist H is in its straightaway or ineiective position,as illustrated, in Figure 2, the guards or gates G will lie closeagainst the sides of the body B, but as the crane o1` hoist H is swungor turned to extend laterally beyond one side of the body B, the guardsor gates G at such side will be also swung outwardly, as illustrated inFigure 1, while the guards or gates G at the opposite sides will stillremain in positions closely adjacent to the body B. It will be obvious,however, that should the crane or hoist H be swung out laterally beyondthe opposite side of the body B, the gates or guards G at that side willbe swung outwardly and the gates or "guards G at the other side will bemaintained in their retracted positions.

It is believed to be obvious from the foregoing that the safety means asherein provided eiTec- `tively guard a person against injury as theresult of being caught between a revolving or turning part `and astationary part of. the crane or hoisting apparatus, and that it isparticularly effective in pushing a workman or other person clear of thecrane or hoist when revolving should he be otherwise in danger of beingcrushed.

From the foregoing description it is thought to Ibe obvious that asafety device constructed in accordance with my invention isparticularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience andfacility with which it may be assembled and operated.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a supporting body and a structure mountedthereon for turning movement to swing to positions beyond opposite sidesof the body; a pair of gates pivotally attached to each of said oppositesides of the body to swing into positions substantially .parallel withthe adjacent side of the body, the pivot for each pair of gates havingpositions fore and aft of the turning axis for said structure, anendless trackway encircling the lower portion of the pivoted structure,an anti-friction connection between each gate and the trackway wherebythe gates will be swung outwardly away from the body upon movement ofthe pivoted structure to a position transversely of the body, andresilient means normally urging swinging of the gates inwardly towardthe body.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, in which said anti-frictionelement comprises a grooved roller carried by each of the gates toreceive the said trackway.

3. The combination as set forth in claim l, in which the said meansurging the gates to swing inwardly toward the body comprises resilientcouplings extending transversely of the body and connecting each of thegates of one pair with the corresponding opposite gate of the otherpair.

4. The combination with a body and a structure mountedjhereon forturning movement to swing to a position laterally beyond either of twoopposite sides of the body; of a lpair of relatively long gates disposedat each of the said opposite sides of the body and plvotally attached tothe body at their remote ends to swing laterally outwardly, the adjacentends of each pair of gates being in opposed relatively closely spacedrelation when the gates are in closed position, an endless track carriedby and encircling the lower portion of said structure, a peripherallygrooved roller rotatably supported upon the free end of each gate andhaving said trackway permanently engaged in the groove thereof, Vsaidgates being swung outwardly away from the body by the endless track uponturning of the structure toward a position transversely of the body,guides extending transversely oi the body between corresponding gates ofeach pair, and a spring coupling extending through each guide andconnecting together the oppositely positioned corresponding gates ofeach pair and constantly urging the swinging of said gates inwardlytoward the body.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 4, in which the said springconnection between opposite gates comprises a central unit consisting ofa pair of opposed plates, a yoke connected with each plate and extendingthrough the other plate, a chain connection between each yoke and theadjacent-gate, and a Vcompression spring encircling the yokes betweensaid plates and normally urging the plates apart.

JOHN H. BROWN.

